PTSD & Complex Trauma Treatment at Cardinal Clinic

If you are living with the effects of trauma, you may already know how much it can take over daily life. Flashbacks, nightmares, feeling constantly on edge, avoiding reminders of what happened, numbness, and difficulty trusting other people are all common after a traumatic experience. The good news is that post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and complex trauma are treatable, and effective, evidence-based treatments exist.

Cardinal Clinic provides private assessment and treatment for PTSD and complex trauma in Windsor, Berkshire. As a consultant psychiatrist-led private hospital, we can offer care across every level of need, from outpatient therapy through day-patient programmes to inpatient (residential) treatment for complex trauma. The right starting point depends on your symptoms, your safety, and what has been tried before, and we help you work that out at assessment.

You can refer yourself directly without waiting for a GP letter, and our team can talk you through fees and funding and what inpatient care involves before you commit to anything.

At a glance

• Who it is for: adults affected by a single traumatic event or by repeated, prolonged trauma, and those whose previous treatment has not been enough.
• Conditions treated: PTSD, complex PTSD and complex trauma, often alongside depression, anxiety, sleep problems, dissociation, or alcohol and substance use.
• Levels of care: outpatient therapy, day-patient programmes, and inpatient (residential) treatment for complex or severe trauma.
• Clinical model: consultant psychiatrist-led multidisciplinary team (MDT), with trauma-focused psychological therapy and psychiatric review.
• Evidence base: trauma-focused CBT and EMDR, in line with NICE NG116.
• Where we are: Windsor, Berkshire, serving Berkshire, Surrey, and West London.

What is PTSD and complex PTSD?

PTSD can develop after experiencing or witnessing a frightening, life-threatening, or deeply distressing event. This might be an accident, an assault, abuse, a serious illness, bereavement, military service, or any event that overwhelmed your ability to cope at the time.

The NHS and the Royal College of Psychiatrists describe several core features of PTSD: reliving the trauma through flashbacks, intrusive memories, or nightmares; avoiding reminders, situations, or feelings linked to the event; feeling hyper-alert, jumpy, or unable to relax; and changes in mood and thinking, such as guilt, numbness, or losing interest in things you used to value. These symptoms can begin soon after the event or surface months or even years later.

Complex PTSD (often called complex trauma) tends to follow repeated or prolonged trauma, particularly trauma that happened over a long period or from which there was no easy escape, such as childhood abuse, domestic abuse, or coercive control. In addition to the core PTSD symptoms, complex PTSD usually involves deeper, longer-standing difficulties: problems regulating emotions, a persistent sense of shame or worthlessness, and ongoing difficulty with relationships and trust. Because complex trauma affects so many areas of life, it often needs longer, more structured, and more carefully paced treatment.

What does private PTSD treatment involve?

Treatment begins with a thorough assessment. A clinician reviews your trauma history, your current symptoms, your risk and safety, any depression, anxiety, or substance use, and what treatment you have already had. The aim is to build a clear formulation of what is keeping the trauma response active and to recommend the safest, most useful level of care.

For PTSD, NICE guideline NG116 (Post-traumatic stress disorder) recommends trauma-focused psychological therapies as the first-line treatment. The two best-evidenced approaches are:

• Trauma-focused cognitive behavioural therapy (trauma-focused CBT): structured therapy that helps you process the traumatic memory safely, make sense of the beliefs the trauma created, and gradually reduce avoidance so that reminders lose their power.
• Eye movement desensitisation and reprocessing (EMDR): a NICE-recommended therapy that uses guided eye movements or other forms of bilateral stimulation to help the brain reprocess traumatic memories so they feel less vivid and less distressing.

Alongside therapy, a consultant psychiatrist may review whether medication has a role, particularly where depression, severe anxiety, or sleep disturbance are present. Medication is not a substitute for trauma-focused therapy, but it can sometimes help stabilise symptoms enough for therapy to be effective. For complex trauma, treatment is usually longer and more paced, with early work on safety, grounding, and emotional regulation before the more direct processing of traumatic memories begins.

Because trauma so often travels with low mood, our team also treats co-occurring depression as part of the same plan rather than as a separate problem.

When is residential or inpatient trauma treatment needed?

Most people with PTSD can be treated effectively as outpatients. But for some, especially those with complex trauma, severe symptoms, or significant risk, more intensive care is appropriate. Inpatient (residential) treatment provides a safe, contained environment with daily clinical support, which can be the right setting when symptoms are overwhelming or when outpatient therapy alone has not been enough.

Inpatient or residential trauma treatment may be appropriate when:

• Symptoms are severe and disabling, making it hard to function safely day to day.
• There are thoughts of suicide or self-harm, or trauma is destabilising you in ways that feel unsafe at home.
• Dissociation, flashbacks, or distress are frequent and difficult to manage between sessions.
• Trauma sits alongside depression, an eating disorder, or alcohol or substance use that needs coordinated treatment.
• Previous outpatient therapy has not led to enough improvement.
• A period of stabilisation and structured daily support is needed before, or instead of, ordinary weekly sessions.

You can read more about what an admission involves on our inpatient care page.

Choosing the right level of care for trauma

One of the most common questions people ask is which level of care they need. The levels below set out how outpatient, day-patient, and inpatient trauma treatment differ, and when it may be right to step up.

Outpatient therapy

• Who it tends to suit: people who are managing safely day to day and can attend regular sessions and practise between them. Often the right start for single-event PTSD and for many people with complex trauma.
• When to consider stepping up: if symptoms worsen, risk increases, or progress stalls despite consistent therapy.

Day-patient programme

• Who it tends to suit: people who need more structure and clinical contact than weekly therapy, but who can return home each day and have a stable enough environment to do so.
• When to consider stepping up: if safety cannot be maintained at home, or symptoms become too severe for daytime-only support.

Inpatient (residential) treatment

• Who it tends to suit: people with severe or complex trauma, significant risk, marked dissociation, or co-occurring conditions who need a safe environment and daily multidisciplinary support.
• When to consider stepping up: this is usually the most intensive level; step-down to day-patient or outpatient care follows as you stabilise.

There is no single correct path. Many people move between levels of care over time, stepping up when they need containment and stepping down as they stabilise. At assessment, our consultant psychiatrist-led team recommends a starting point and reviews it as treatment progresses.

Trauma and safety: when to seek urgent help

Trauma can bring intense moments of distress, including vivid flashbacks, dissociation (feeling detached from yourself or your surroundings), and thoughts of suicide or self-harm. If you feel unsafe, please reach out for urgent help rather than waiting for a planned appointment.

• If you need help urgently but it is not an emergency, call NHS 111 or use 111 online.
• If you or someone else is in immediate danger, or you have seriously harmed yourself, call 999 or go to your nearest A&E.
• To talk to someone at any time of day or night, call Samaritans free on 116 123.

Trauma very often occurs alongside depression. If low mood, hopelessness, or loss of interest are part of your experience, our depression treatment page explains how we treat the two together.

Where we are and who we treat

Cardinal Clinic is a private psychiatric hospital in Windsor, Berkshire. We see adults from across Berkshire, Surrey, and West London, and many people travel to us specifically because we can offer the full range of trauma care, from outpatient therapy to inpatient treatment for complex trauma, under one consultant psychiatrist-led team. If you have been searching for a traumatic stress or trauma service in the Berkshire area, this is the kind of care we provide.

To begin, you can refer yourself or contact our team to talk through your situation and the right next step.

This page is for information only and does not replace medical advice, diagnosis, or emergency care. If you feel unable to stay safe, are having thoughts of suicide or self-harm, or are at immediate risk, please seek urgent help by calling 111, 999, or Samaritans on 116 123. Sources: NICE NG116 (Post-traumatic stress disorder); NHS (Post-traumatic stress disorder); Royal College of Psychiatrists (PTSD / trauma). Author and clinical reviewer: Robin Lefever, Director & Therapist.